Extension-foot



(No Model.)

B. L. O'CONNOR.

EXTENSION FOOT.

. w] .M 1 TIM .4 WLM? 1% M9? h .d w e a lu n I m h ANDRLW BfiRAMAM, PHOTO-H1710 WASHINGNN. D12.

NIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVARD L. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXTENSION-FOOT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,929, dated February 4, 1896.

Application filed February 4, 1895. Renewed December 30, 1896. Serial No. 573,836. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. OCoNNoR, a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension- Feet; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to extension-feet for use by persons having one short leg, with a view to the lengthening of the leg to correspond with the sound one, and to give a symmetrical foot upon which an ordinary shoe that .will mate with one applicable to the sound foot may be worn.

I have made two prior inventions relating to this matter, which are set forth in Letters Patent No. 299,158, dated May 27, 1884:, and No. 248,220, dated May 20, 1890. In the later of these patents I made an attempt at the results here aimed at, but with only partial satisfaction. The improvements herein described have resulted in complete success.

By reference to the later above-mentioned patent it will be observed that the upper surface of the false structure upon which the bottom of the natural foot bears is generally inclined from-top to bottom, though the inclinations of different portions of this surface vary in degree. In that construction a rigid instep-piece is applied to the base of the false structure, beneath which instep -piece the toes of the natural foot extend; but in practice it has been found that the inclination of the surfaces upon which the natural foot bears permits a sliding movement of the foot down such surfaces, and in consequence a compression of the toes beneath the rigid false instep so uncomfortable that in many cases this instep-piece has been of necessity abandoned. In the absence of such false instep it is impossible to use a low shoe, or, indeed, any shoe that matches that upon the sound foot of the wearer, while any enlargement or modification of the shape of the false instep to give room for the toes, thus crowded beneath it, destroys the correspondence between the artificial and natural foot of the wearer. \Vhether this instep-piece be employed or not, the slipping forward of the foot upon the extension or false structure is highly objectionable for obvious reasons.

By the present invention, in so far as it relates to a change in the contour of the surfaces upon which the natural foot bears, I have provided for the retraction of the toes and have guarded against the forward slipping movement of the wearers foot upon said surfaces of the extension, with the twofold result of preventing wedging action of the foot within its inclosure and securing freedom of the toes beneath the false instep, if employed.

Another difficulty experienced in the use of the structure shown in said later prior patent relates to the heel-piece, which rises from the false structure or extension back of and around the sides of the heel of the wearer. This heel-piece in said prior patent is a continuous rigid plate entirely covering and embracing the rear and sides of the heel proper of the wearer. The objections to this feature of the former construction (hereinafter specified) are obviated by the skeleton heel-piece herein shown and described.

Now turning to the drawings which illustrate my present improvements,Figure 1 illustrates the false foot or extension in side elevation, the heel thereof being elevated from the floor, as it will be when a shoe having a suitable heel is applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the base of the extension-foot with a false instep and my improved heel-piece ap plied thereto, but without the covering or upper. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section in the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking to the rear. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the extension with the lame foot resting upon the base thereof, the leather upper or other covering for the attachment of the extension-foot to the foot of the wearer being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 5 illustrates the false structure applied to the foot of the wearer and having thereon a low shoe which mates the shoe worn upon the sound foot of the wearer.

A in Fig. 2 represents the base-piece of my improved extension-foot.

B represents my improved heel-piece, and C the instep-piece of my said prior patent.

D in Fig. 1 represents the leather or other covering of the base-piece extended upward above the heel-piece B and about the foot and ankle of the wearer and as being laced in front to confine the wearers foot in its place on the false structure.

The upper surfaces of the base A, upon which the bottom of the foot of the wearer bears, are, for this description, divided into three portionsto wit, the elevated portion, a, upon which the heel of the wearer rests, the lower portion, a, upon which the ball and toes of the wearer bear, and the intermediate portion, a which is opposite the hollow and the rear ball portion of the wearers foot. The portions (4 and a are made more nearly horizontal than in my prior patent, while the intermediate portion, a is substantially, and preferably, quite vertical.

heel portion a, nearly or substantially horizontal, as shown, is to prevent a tendency of the foot of the wearer to slip forward upon the base and to enable it to be retained against such slipping movement by the laced upper D without wedging action or serious pressure of the wearers foot against the laced or front portion of the upper. The vertical arrangement of the surface a gives a more effective supporting-bearing to the ball of the foot of the wearer upon the base A, while at the same time the ball has a more retracted position upon said base, so that if an instep piece C be employed the toes find freer space and greater comfort beneath it. By reason of this improvement I have found from my own experience as a wearer and maker of these improved eXtension-feet that I may select a pair of shoes from any ordinary stock of which pair one will fit the sound foot and may ap ply the other to the extensioirfoot without the least discomfort, and, of course, with the result of presenting two clothed feet to view which correspond as perfectly as the shoes upon the two sound feet of any person. This has heretofore been impractical in a majority of cases, and the advantage set forth is obtained by the change above indicated in the direction of the several surfaces '1, a, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

On presenting this improved extension-foot to surgeons and others for examination it has been urged that it is impossible for the natural foot to conform to the changed surfaces a, a and (1 upon which it is to bear, by reason of the verticality of the surface (L2; but from personal experience and actual use I have demonstrated to these and to all objectors that the form of surfaces here illustrated are entirely practical, and that the foot will, in the course of a few weeks time, readily adapt itself to such surfaces with perfect comfort.

Another advantage resulting from the new arrangement of the surfaces a, a and a and due more largely to the making of the surfaces The effect of making the portions a and a, and especially the a and a" more nearly horizontal, is that when the foot is clothed with a shoe corresponding with that upon the sound foot of the wearer, the wearer may stand with the extension-foot squarely and firmly in bearing upon the floor, while his leg is perfectly straight. This also was impossible or very difficult in the use of my former construction. It was usuallynecessary for the wearer in standing to bend the knee-joint of the shortened limb forwardly in order to bring the sole of the shoe worn upon the extension squarely upon the floor. The substantially horizontal direction of the surface a gives such a firm supporting-bearing of the heel of the wearer upon the extension that the straightening of his leg i11- volves no appreciable tendency to push the foot forward upon said surface, and he therefore naturally straightens the shortened leg, as he does the sound one, in either standing or walking.

In my prior construction the heel-piece applied to the base A was, as already stated, continuous and surrounded the heel of the wearer from the surface of the base a upwardly to, or nearly to, the ankle-j oint. lVhen made of ordinary metal this involved rapid destruction of the lining of the upper, due to the perspiration of the foot, and when made of aluminium,with a view of avoidance of rust, it involved the rotting and disintegration of the metal itself. Inasmuch as these extension structures are necessarily expensive, both in their original construction and in their repair, I have successfully sought to obviate the objection last above pointed out by making the heel-piece of open or skeleton form, as shown. In this construction of the said heel-piece b are two rigid upright side bars, and b is a yoke having its extremities secured to the upper ends of the side bars I) and curved to reach around the back of the foot just above the heel and below the anklejoint, as shown.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In an extension-foot intended for application to the foot of a shortened leg, a base having a nearly horizontal surface upon which the heel of the natural foot is to rest, a nearly horizontal surface on which the ball of the foot is to bear, and an intermediate, substantially vertical surface opposite the hollow of the foot.

:2. In an extension-foot for application to the natural foot of a shorter leg, the combination with a base having an elevated surface upon which the heel of the natural foot is to rest, and a lower surface upon which the ball of said natural foot is to bear, of a heelpiece consisting of two side uprights and a rearward]yeurved yoke, substantially as described.

In an extension-foot for application to the natural foot of a shorter leg, the combination of a base having a nearly horizontal elevated surface upon which the heel of the natural foot is to bear, a nearly horizontal In testimony that I claim the foregoing as surface to receive the ball and toes of the natumy invention I affix my signature in presence 10 ral foot, and an ilterinecliate and substanof two witnesses.

tially vertical sur ace opposite the hollow of ,T v T 5 the foot, of an open heel-piece consisting of ARD O CO} two lateral uprights,and a rearwardly-curved Yitnesses: yoke which embraces the rear part of the WM. L. HALL, ankle. ALBERT II. GRAVES. 

